“Use Your Brain Outside the Box.” — March 24
This session was a reminder that creativity doesn’t disappear when resources are limited — it sharpens.
After check-in, I shared an update with the ensemble: our request for costumes and the ability to film the production had been denied. There was an initial wave of disappointment — understandable, given how much care and pride this group brings to building the world of the play. But what stood out was how quickly that frustration transformed into problem-solving.
“We didn’t have costumes last year and we did amazing,” a participant reminded the group. That spirit carried us forward.
What followed was one of the most inventive design conversations we’ve had all season. The ensemble began reimagining the entire visual language of the show using what is already available to them. Newspaper became fabric. Sheets became robes. State blues became a base layer for character transformation.
“Use your brain outside the box,” an ensemble member encouraged — and the room rose to meet that challenge.
Each character started to take shape in new and unexpected ways: bold color choices, handmade accessories, layered textures, and inventive silhouettes. There was laughter, debate, and collaboration — especially as we worked through ideas for Antipholus and found ourselves navigating different comfort levels and perspectives. Even in moments of disagreement, the commitment to the collective vision remained clear.
By the end of the conversation, the energy had shifted completely. What began as a limitation became an opportunity — not just to design costumes, but to define the aesthetic of this production as something uniquely ours.
We closed the night by turning our attention to future seasons, reading through potential plays and beginning the exciting process of imagining what comes next. Even as we look ahead, the focus remains the same: building something together, with whatever tools we have, and making it meaningful.
We raised the ring and ended the night grounded in that shared purpose.
“We Can’t Go Wrong With These Choices.” — March 26
This session centered on possibility — what stories we want to tell next, and how we want to tell them.
After check-in, we dove into a conversation about the future of the program. Should we spend extended time developing a piece? Should we adapt a Shakespeare play or perform it as written? The ensemble weighed these questions thoughtfully, drawing from their own experiences to guide the discussion.
Fisher-Grant emphasized the value of working with Shakespeare’s original text — how its consistency can anchor the ensemble and keep everyone moving together. Others imagined new forms: adaptations, hip hop influences, and ways to make the work feel personal and immediate.
As we read through potential plays, the room filled with curiosity and debate. King Lear, The Winter’s Tale, and Romeo and Juliet quickly rose to the top, each offering something different: scale, magic, familiarity, challenge.
“I want to be Romeo,” one participant said, while another was drawn to the richness of roles in King Lear. Others were captivated by the blend of comedy and tragedy in The Winter’s Tale — a story of loss, forgiveness, and transformation.
The conversation moved beyond preference into strategy. What stories will resonate most? What will challenge us? What will allow new members to step in and grow? The ensemble considered not just what they wanted to perform, but why it mattered.
By the end of the night, the vote came down to two: King Lear and The Winter’s Tale. The final decision remains ahead on Tuesday, but the process itself — collaborative, thoughtful, and deeply engaged — is already shaping the future of the work.
We closed by sharing monologues, stepping briefly into these worlds and testing what it feels like to speak their language. It was playful, exploratory, and full of possibility.
We raised the ring, carrying forward not just a decision to be made, but a shared investment in whatever comes next.